The History Behind Folded Origami Paper

These days, origami is everywhere.

This is a children’s book like Sadako and The Thousand Paper Cranes. It is featured in the museum as an art. It’s even used as an educational tool to help students learn fractional skills and problem solving!

But what is the history of origami? How has it developed over the years?

Read on to find out!

Where and How Origami Begins
Even the word Origami has an interesting history behind it. This is actually made of two words in Japanese: “Ori,” which means “folds”, and “we”, meaning “paper”.

This is a word that defines itself!

Art origami arrived long enough after the paper became available all over the world. Around the 6th century, monks began to bring paper to Japan.

However, because paper origami is still rare (and therefore expensive!) Mainly used in religious ceremonies.

Origami is used in a wedding ceremony, where a butterfly is folded symbolizes the bride. It also folded into a symbol of luck used and given by the Samurai, in the hope of remaining safe in battle.

Even played in the legend of ancient Japan. For example, many ancient folk tales tell the story of folded birds that fly, turning into native birds.

Origami: Next Step
Of course, it did not take long for the global interest of origami to flourish.

In the late 1400s, origami began to spread to Europe. Here, folding techniques and objects made are also utilized in everyday life.

It’s been popular in Europe to fold small boxes to store jewelry or other light items, or even to send personalized messages and letters!

Interestingly, we may owe much of what we now know about origami to kindergarten. The so-called “Kindergarten” system was created in the early 19th century to help children learn life skills, and to make it easier for them to enter the educational environment.

The founder of the Kindergarten System, Friedrich Frobel, born in Germany, sees that folding paper and binding can help young people learn valuable motor coordination and skills.

The reality is that many of the earliest kindergarten curriculums are filled with origami lessons!

More and more European countries began to adopt the Frobel TK System, and origami spread rapidly. In fact, the small, brightly colored origami paper wrap that we first learned to fold is a direct result of the Kindergarten System system in origami.

Sure, because of the idea of ​​the spread of kindergartens as well as origami.

What Next for Origami?
Currently, there are classes, communities, and even YouTube videos that are all dedicated to sharing origami art with as many people as possible.

Origami never stops developing, and new techniques are found every time. A very popular one called “wet folding.” Folders will lightly dip their paper into the water and fold it. This helps the paper to hold its shape even longer.

What will they think next? Only time will tell.

To learn complicated folding techniques, to get an idea from the experts, or just to be inspired by the intricate origami art form, always keep an eye for your industry website, museum exhibit, and video tutorial channel.